(Finance) – The second edition of the International Trade Forumorganized by ARcomFormazione under the scientific direction of the lawyer. Will be Armellawith the patronage of the European Commission, Simest, ICE, Lombardy Region, Aice, FederItaly, ICLA, Aidda, and Imit. The event brought together institutional representatives, companies and academics for an in-depth discussion on the future of international trade, with a focus on the role ofItalian exporton geopolitics and recent customs reforms. Furthermore, four of the top 100 customs law experts from the International Customs Law Academy also participated in the Forum.
In the opening speech of the Forum, the Hon. Maurice LeoDeputy Minister of Economy and Finance, announced that corrective measures to the customs reform are being studied, to respond to the critical issues reported by operators in the sector and improve the efficiency of the procedures. In particular, Leo declared: “It is not excluded that it may be possible, on the part of the legislator – and in this regard we are carrying out further investigations with theCustoms Agency – review the threshold of 10,000 euros to be able to configure the crime of smuggling. This is to raise the bar and avoid finding ourselves in the presence of even minimal situations that fall within the scope of criminal violations. So this is a topic that theCustoms and Monopolies Agency is being explored and which can then be taken care of in the context of a possible corrective decree”.
During the Forum the white paper by ARcom Formazione with unpublished ICE data, which confirms the centrality of exports for the Italian economy. In 2024, exports reached i 650 billion euros (+3.7% compared to the previous year), driven by particularly robust growth in the Gulf markets and North America. Maurizio Forte, Member of the Central Management for the export sectors of ICE, he commented: “Italian exports maintain their positions thanks to the growth in the Gulf countries and North America. In 2023 – and again in the first 7 months of 2024 – the United States is the second destination, while the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia grow by double digits. This dynamic – beyond the imagery of the Beautiful, the Good and the Well Made – is the result of research and applied technology: Italy is the export champion in machinery (101 billion euros in 2023, equal to 16% of the total). In the United States – China dualism, today the alternative is to strengthen the international projection capacity of the third pole, the European one, in which Italy can express itself as a leader (we are the third EU exporter), concentrating investments on trade promotion, sustainability and innovation.”
The tensions geopolitics and the new ones measures protectionist dominated the Forum discussions. Will be ArmellaScientific Director of ARcom Formazione, underlined the risks for international trade: “Italy is the fourth country in the world in terms of export volumes, which will also grow by 3.7% in 2024, despite an increasingly complex geopolitical situation and the continuous increase in protectionist measures, over 2,800 in the year 2024 alone. The victory of Trump and the announcement of duties of 10-20% on European products could lead to a drop in Italian exports of 16%. The new course of US policy on environmental sustainability also risks impacting European competitiveness, considering that the EU has launched, with CBAM and deforestation, an ambitious Green deal, which risks remaining isolated at an international level.”
Laura TravagliniSenior Adviser of Confindustria, commented on the slowdown in global flows: “The international context configures a slowdown, or, if we want to be optimistic, a downward stabilization of global trade which remains just below historical peaks, but still shows a flattening trend which could worsen if geopolitical conditions deteriorate further.”
Claudio OliverDirector of the Central Customs Directorate of the Customs and Monopolies Agency, recalled the importance of a greater capacity for adaptation in companies to deal with the volatility of global supply chains: “In a world increasingly characterized by strong instability, it is It is essential to increase the ability to adapt and govern business processes to effectively manage the supply chain. The complexity and fragmentation of logistics chains require companies to develop specific skills and adopt innovative technologies to maintain competitiveness.”
The Forum also explored the recent one Italian customs reformin force from 4 October 2024, which introduces the digital One Stop Shop model to reduce customs clearance times and costs. The new system allows companies to access a centralized interface for customs procedures, strengthening the competitiveness of Made in Italy on global markets.
The Dr. Brown PisanPresident of Assocad, stated regarding the reform: “This is a reform that has been awaited for many years with an important impact and which presents some aspects to be refined and reviewed: in particular the sanctioning system. However, we are certain that the great work of comparison between all institutional and private actors will lead to the introduction of corrective improvements to ensure that the Italian logistics and customs system becomes more efficient and effective”.
The Dr. Dominic De CrescenzoVice President Fedespedi with responsibility for customs declared: “We would have preferred law 141 to come into force which would give us time to metabolise the changes. In any case, we hope for changes that will lighten our position especially on VAT, as a border right in the current threshold, on the confiscation of goods and on the assessment of fraud”.
The event closed with the awarding of the “Young International Trade Specialist” celebrated young professionals under 35 for their contributions to international trade, creating new opportunities for networking and professional growth. The prize was awarded to Dr Martha Galbusserawith the paper entitled: “The awaited reform of national customs legislation: a mix of lights and shadows”. who wins the participation in the Master “International trade and customs” organized by ARcom Formazione, a 200-hour course which gives the professional qualification of Manager of corporate customs issues, recognized by the Customs Agency.
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